Michigan in the News

Trevor Mudge, Bredt Family Professor of Engineering, spoke with The Economist about "sloppy chips" — nanotransistors that allow errors in exchange for increases in efficiency.

UPI quoted Emily Nicklett, assistant professor of social work, regarding her study info the effects of the combination of exercise and healthy eating, saying, "A number of studies have measured the positive impact of exercise and healthy eating on life expectancy, but what makes this study unique is that we looked at these two factors together."

Tamas Gombosi, Rollin M. Gerstacker Professor of Engineering, and professor of atmospheric, oceanic and space sciences, and aerospace engineering, discussed with Astronomy Magazine research into the behavior of plasma on Saturn's moon Enceladus.

The new minor in sustainability offered through LSA's Program in the Environment takes an interdisciplinary approach to answer the complex issues that challenge our ability to develop sustainable systems now and in the future. In this video, faculty and students talk about the minor and what it offers.

Nearly final state budget plan would boost funding on all three campusesA statewide higher education budget, agreed to Friday by a conference committee of the state House and Senate, would provide additional funding to all three U-M campuses and soften troublesome language on reporting stem cell research. Overall, the panel recommends a 3 percent funding increase for the state’s 15 public universities.

Michigan engineering alumni help to develop the SpaceX Dragon SpaceX Dragon, the first cargo-carrying private spacecraft, made its way back to Earth last Thursday, and it was helped along the way by Michigan engineers. “Our students are flocking to companies like SpaceX,” says Thomas Zurbuchen, professor of atmospheric, oceanic and space sciences, and aerospace engineering. There are more than 20 U-M graduates who have been employed by SpaceX, Zurbuchen says, and many are involved with the Dragon mission.

White House petition seeks action on open access A petition on the White House website We the People urging the Obama administration "to act now to implement open access policies for all federal agencies that fund scientific research" continues the growing effort to expand unfettered access to research and scholarship. Paul Courant, university librarian and dean of libraries, is encouraging the campus community to consider signing the petition and to spread the word.

Vandals damage peony garden at the Arb Vandals damaged a number of peony plants in the Nichols Arboretum peony garden last week. All of the damaged plants were mature specimens at least 50 years old. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Department of Public Safety.

The Michigan Difference

Building on a solid foundation
Tom Perko, an alumnus of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, doesn’t flee devastation. He faces it head-on, helping Haiti rebuild after the 2010 earthquake that killed some 225,000 people. An article in the current edition of the alumni magazine Dividend explains how Perko, as executive director of the nonprofit Extollo International, is helping to train construction workers in Haiti and perform reconstruction work there.

Coming up…

Did You Know?

The Women of Color in the Academy Project works to support and recognize the contributions of women of color faculty at U-M. Housed at the Center for the Education of Women, it advocates for and encourages recruitment and retention of women of color faculty.